KUWAIT CITY, Feb 11: Some officials from the Ministry of Health have allegedly expressed disappointment over their education counterparts’ lack of cooperation in combating obesity among students, reports Al-Qabas daily quoting sources. Sources disclosed the education officials have been absent in most meetings since the establishment of a joint committee tasked to find ways to address the obesity problem in schools.  Sources pointed out the Ministry of Education has been neglecting the issue while the other ministry continues to exert efforts to combat obesity.

Sources added the recently-concluded meeting of the joint committee did not yield positive results due to the absence of the Education Ministry officials who attended only the meeting presided earlier by Assistant Undersecretary for Students Activities Radhi Al-Rashidi.  Sources said the Health Ministry requires the presence of education officials due to the purported violations in school canteens as this phenomenon is regarded as one of the causes of the rising child obesity cases in the country.
 

In other news, the waiting period for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) appointment has been reduced to two weeks, reports Al-Nahar daily quoting Minister of Health Dr Mohammed Al-Haifi as saying.  In a statement after a meeting with the directors of health zones and hospitals, Al-Haifi added that work is underway to cover employee deficiency in the hospitals. He noted the clinics for casualties will be inaugurated at health centers in the coming period.
 

Meanwhile, the Director of Ahmadi Health Area Fahad Al-Foudari disclosed the development plan of Al-Adan Hospital and the health centers will be implemented over a period of five years at a cost of 70 million dinars. The projects also involve rehabilitation works at health centers affiliated to the zone and KD 280,000,000 has been allotted for execution. In other development, the Director of Al-Sabah Health Area Adel Al-Osfour said Behbehani Center for Bone Marrow Implant will be inaugurated in two weeks.